by Katrease Stafford, Detroit Free Press

by Katrease Stafford, Detroit Free Press

DETROIT -- At least three Michigan counties plan to issue marriage licenses on Saturday to accommodate gay couples one day after U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman struck down Michigan's ban on same-sex marriages.

Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown announced via Twitter her office will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

"As far as we're concerned, we're abiding by the federal court appellates," Kestenbaum said Friday. "We're not typically open, but basically the Board of Commissioners strongly urged me to be open tomorrow."

Waters said she's been prepared to issue licenses since last October but was waiting for an official decision from U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman.

The Rev. Bill Freeman from the Harbor Unitarian-Universalist Congregation church will officiate the weddings, Waters said.

Michigan is the 18th state in the nation to allow gay marriage. Friedman did not stay his ruling, prompting Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette to file an emergency stay request to prevent gay couples from marrying right away.

"I wasn't expecting the ruling would go into effect immediately and I know there's going to be attempts to get a stay, but I'm assuming there won't be one by tomorrow," Kestenbaum said. "If there is, then I'll stop."

Kestenbaum will waive the three-day waiting period and the fee. The license costs $20. He said at least one of the individuals must be a Washtenaw County resident in order for the license to be issued.

Ed Golembiewski, Washtenaw County director of elections, said preference will be given to couples who attempted to get married at the clerk's office last October. Golembiewski said couples were given numbers indicating their place in line at the time and they will be allowed to use them on Saturday.

Macomb County's clerk said licenses would be issued beginning Monday if no stay is issued. The Wayne County Clerk's Office has not said whether it will issue licenses.

"We don't ask someone's orientation on a concealed pistol license, birth certificate, death certificate, or voter registration," Macomb County Clerk/Register of Deeds Carmella Sabaugh said in a news release. "Today's court ruling means we won't ask that question for marriage licenses either, unless a stay is granted or the decision is overturned on appeal. We will follow the law."

Livingston County Clerk Margaret M. Dunleavy has confirmed she will accept marriage-license applications from same-sex couples. She said the license applications will be treated like traditional marriage applications with the same three-day "cooling off period" required under state law. The clerk in Ingham County will also be issuing licenses if there is no stay.

In Calhoun County, the clerk's office says it will have an issue with the current license forms provided by the state that refer to "bride" and "groom."

Some county clerks in the Grand Rapids area have said they do not plan to issue marriage licenses.